Breakthrough 4:
The new dynamics of innovation and partnership: playing to strengths

No CIO can deliver transformation alone

New models of leadership, partnership and a regenerative ecosystem are needed to underpin a future where legacy is rebalanced with innovation and current vs ideal investment priorities stack up to deliver continuous value to the business.

There is no new money for innovation; and there is no new talent coming over the hill to breathe new life into the IT function.

CIOs recognize the value of impartial advice, particularly when it comes to transformation and innovation.

of IT leaders believe the pool of IT skills available is sufficient for their needs.

Transformative initiatives need to come from within and 83% of IT leaders are looking for consultancies and vendors that are technology agnostic and can liberate them from the shackles of legacy to create space for innovation.

When seeking external partners for innovation and transformation, what is the single most important attribute you prioritize?

Technology-agnostic advice and impartiality
Deep technical expertise in specific emerging technologies (e.g., AI)
A proven track record of successful co-creation
Ability to integrate seamlessly with existing teams (plugging skill gaps)
Cost-effectiveness and value for money

Innovation as standard

Tech leaders increasingly expect help with AI adoption and use cases through product innovation within their existing contracts – so that innovation comes as standard within their ‘run’ investments.

And where systems integrators are concerned, it’s all about co-creation; no one has all the answers, especially when it comes to innovation from emerging technology, so it’s about vendors standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the CIO in true partnership.

And in a world where digital transformation has become business as usual, ‘innovation’ is no longer something the tech leader uses as a show of prowess; it is never for its own sake and it has taken on a more modest, thoughtful guise; the overriding benefit of being a visible tech leader is that innovation can be incremental – and for that to be perfectly acceptable.

IT in the boardroom

So, is this the end of IT leadership as we know it? With more CIOs than ever reporting to the CEO, the strategic long-term value and potential of technology is understood.

Called on by the CEO to mitigate risk, address regulatory/EU compliance and head-off disruption, today’s technology leader continues to define organizational guardrails and controls. However, they are also the go-to for the vision, strategy and action-plan around future innovation and growth. It’s no wonder that softer skills have become just as important as technical skills.

And amid these important advisory requirements, the technology function’s delivery still needs to be seamless.

European CIOs have the unique challenge of embedding AI within a complex regulatory landscape while securing the necessary investment for future scale-out. The choices they make will determine future competitiveness – both for their companies and for the region as a whole. It’s a challenging role, but there is immense potential.

Martin Schulz, Chief Economist, Fujitsu

Digital transformation is here to stay, but we must move from IT owning it to co-creating with business partners. Whether it's about delivering a seamless customer experience or building intelligent supply chains or scaling AI responsibility, shared understanding and co-ownership are needed from day one.

Sharon Prior, CIO

Innovation should be part of every vendor’s offering. We need partners who bring innovation directly to where we have a need.

Colin Shenoy, CTO, Diageo

SaaS never delivered on the promise of replacing legacy applications because most large, complex organizations needed to customize heavily, which meant the problem never went away.

Bert Dillen, CIO, Mazda